Month: December 2010

What was it with WXLO jocks that they were discouraged from using their names except for once an hour or so? A policy that began in the 80s, perhaps, back when this incarnation of WXLO began from the ashes of WFMP, which started as a regional Country station (and a very popular jock named Gene LaVerne) from Fitchburg, MA, which segued to soft AC in 1980 as “M-104” at the same time as adding Stereo. It was a big deal at that time. By the time 1984 rolled around, it was time for owner Robin Martin to upgrade the station. There is a story about how the WXLO call letters ended up in use at 104.5 FM in Central Massachusets – your webmaster should know… I was there at the staff meeting when we voted on the new call letters. Who does that today? Going on 13 years old in Ma...

Try to look up information on this little-known AM Country station and you’ll only find the religious incarnation of WKMB. Apparently falling out of existance shortly before the internet came into being in the early 90s, this wonderful little recording of Stirling, New Jersey’s AM 1070 chronicles what might be the only piece of this station’s former Country format. One notable about this aircheck: Why do we hear Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Busy Man” played FOUR times in an hour and a half? Please, someone, check the current reel and see if it’s rewinding… LOL Contributor Ira Warren Patasnik, heard on this recording as “Jim Smith”, says about this aircheck: WKMB 1070 Was the last Country Music station on the air just outside of New York City...

This aircheck is a bit confusing. Actually three different ‘checks on one tape, this starts with the beginning of the famous New York City blackout – Dan Ingram mentioning the electricity ‘slowing down’. Really just a clip, before it moves on to January 25, and then March 22 of 1968. Notice the majority of this recording lacks WABC’s reverb. Most likely either recorded directly off the board or from WABC-FM 95.5, although no details were included with this package. This is a short composite, scoped down and of course in glorious AM Mono.

December 7, 1960 – 77 WABC becomes Top 40 24/7. We’re celebrating the 50th anniversary of the start of a legend with this set of airchecks provided by BigAppleAirchecks! This crystal-clear original recording is of the most beloved of all WABC jocks, Dan Ingram. This particular day is a hot July afternoon. You’ll get a feel for the pace of WABC right from the start, as this recording starts as Big Dan’s show begins right out of the news.

Matt’s done it again! Here’s a 25 minute scope of 790 WFUN as heard in the heyday of its popularity in the late 60s. WFUN was in very close competition with Miami then-giant WQAM, a battle which WFUN eventually lost and led to its demise after being sold in 1976 and changing format. Alan Polasky (CORRECTED) owns a tribute website to the station, www.wfuntribute.com – “Fun 79”. There, he describes what led to WFUN’s final days as a Top 40 radio station: “Top 40 on AM became more competitive, too, when WINZ briefly joined the fray. Ultimately many listeners moved to FM for music, and in 1976, WFUN was sold and became News/Talk WNWS and later middle-of-the-road station WMRZ, followed by WAXY which was brokered talk. Now “790 The Ticket” sp...

Longtime contributor Matt Seinberg over at BigAppleAirchecks sent in this, the first of a new collection of goodies! WAPE lives on today in Jacksonville, on the FM dial as a mainstream CHR, continuing the tradition started over four decades ago on 690 AM. North Florida isn’t exactly the place you’d expect a major Top 40 station, but then again, WAPE, “The Big Ape” wasn’t your average radio station. Home to many who would go on to eventual stardom elsewhere, this onetime larger-than-life Drake station had a killer signal heard from Florida to the Carolinas, the Bahamas and elsewhere! Here’s a slice of WAPE from 1971. See if you remember any of the names here.

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